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Unread 13-04-2011, 17:58
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J_Miles J_Miles is offline
FiM Referee
AKA: Jared Miles
no team (EngiNERDs)
Team Role: Alumni
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Rookie Year: 2009
Location: Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Posts: 128
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Re: 1114: Absolutely stunning record over the last few years

1114 consistently has not only great machines, but also brilliant scouting, outstanding strategy, and excellent alliance partners in eliminations that help them go a very long way at Championship; however, as some have said before me, there is a small amount of luck involved: the divisional assignments have the power to separate or put together teams that might have/might have not had the opportunity to join together otherwise. That, alone, is enough to make or break some legitimate chances at a championship.

Schedules, as well, play some part in the way Championship pans out: seeding at the end of qualifications matches can sometimes be skewed because of schedules and/or the Ranking Points system; for example: team 469, Las Guerrillas, despite having one of the best robots in the world last season, most certainly did not always seed first (I would say only once or twice in at least four competitions, but I'm reluctant to say that because I'm not exactly sure), and powerhouse teams that don't seed first are at the mercy of other highly-seeded teams for their alliance during eliminations. Because of the rules restricting acceptance/denial of alliance invitations, it is possible for a team that shoots to the top of the standings to "interfere" with certain teams allying.

So, while a great team can win the FIRST Robotics Championship, so many factors play into the ability of a team to do so that one must admit that there is quite a bit of fortune involved; regardless, the alliances that make it to Einstein are almost always extremely competitive, and rarely does one see lopsided match-ups there.

In the end, the alliance that had not only excellent design and consistency, but also luck on their side wins the Championship.
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Last edited by J_Miles : 13-04-2011 at 18:00.
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